Greg Etafia: I’ve got a long way to go

Germiston, one of South Africa’s quiet suburbs, is about 20 minutes from Johannesburg. It is there that the Maroka Swallows have their stadium and training ground. It is also there that Greg Etafia’s personal house is located. Etafia, the Nigerian born goalkeeper, plays for Maroka Swallows, one of South Africa’s best known football clubs and it is the first and only club that he has played for since arriving South Africa in 2001 from Plateau United of Jos.

But the footballer was born and raised in Kaduna–not Jos. It was in Kaduna that he grew up, like many young boys his age, to love football. Although Etafia is today a goalkeeper – and an accomplished one at that, considering the fact that he has represented Nigeria in age youth championships and is today, a member of the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s senior national team - he actually started out as a player, not  a goalkeeper. Growing up in Kaduna, he and his mates enjoyed playing football. But something happened one day that changed that situation, and led to the discovery of a talent Etafia didn’t know he had. At the time, he was a fringe member of a youth team in Kaduna whose goalkeeper failed to turn up for a particular match. This posed a dilemma, as goalkeeping, unlike other positions, requires some reflexive skills.  Etafia volunteered to stand in for the goalkeeper.  In the end, his performance surprised many people, as he succeeded in keeping a clean sheet in regulation time. But even those who were surprised about his performance up to that point could not have imagined what was to come. Etafia capped his effort by saving four penalty kicks in the ensuing spot kicks. It was amazing!

The feat won the young Etafia admirers and among them was his elder brother, Lucky. Impressed by his kid brother’s performance, Lucky encouraged him to continue with goalkeeping. “He told me that maybe my luck lies with goalkeeping, and that I should continue along that line,” recalls the player.

From thereon, he started attending youth tournaments, and with time, became popular in Kaduna. His fame grew, due to his goalkeeping skills. He later joined Highlanders Football Club, an amateur club owned by one Babayaro, a popular football administrator in the town “I was at Highlanders for one year during which we participated in a local government tournament in Minna.  I was doing well; things were going fine. So I said let me just continue with goalkeeping, although it was a little bit difficult because those days, it wasn’t easy getting the kit, like boots, etc. You know, one had to struggle, even though my mum and dad were supportive. They were trying to buy me those things once in a while, but it was not easy.”

From Highlanders, Etafia moved to Golden Stars, another youth club coached by Alhaji Rabiu. That was when he met Emmanuel Babayaro, a goalkeeper himself and the elder brother of the popular Celestine Babayaro, who has had a distinguished soccer career.

Emmanuel Babayaro had just come back from the Golden Eaglets tournament at the time. The two goalkeepers hit it off immediately. However, there was a challenge, according to Etafia. “He was staying far from where I lived. He was staying in the GRA area while I was living on Enugu Road. So, everyday, I had to trek from my area to his place, for him to train me. He kept on supporting and encouraging me.”

Before long, Etafia got his break. Using his contact, Babayaro spoke to James Peters, a Nigerian national team coach, about Etafia. This led to the player joining the Golden Eaglets team then coached by Peters. The team featured in the Meridian Cup that held in South Africa in 1999. From there, Etafia went on to feature for the U – 20 and later, U - 23. He was in fact, Nigeria’s goalkeeper at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Playing in the Olympics remains probably the greatest moment of his career, despite Nigeria’s elimination in the quarter finals.

Recalling that time, Etafia describes the experience as good and bad. “It was great to play in the Olympics alongside the big stars. I was young and proud to be part of it. But it is what I call good and bad - good for me, to have been selected for such a big tournament and bad because we were eliminated in the quarter finals. But, generally, it was to my advantage. I was young, and even though the stage seemed rather too big for me, I was grateful to have been chosen to represent my country. Nigeria is a great country and it’s a privilege to be chosen to represent your country.”

It was after the Olympics that Etafia joined Maroka Swallows. At that time, he was already a member of Plateau United Football Club of Jos. He explains: “There were lots of offers after the Olympics, but nothing was certain. However, Maroka Swallows showed more seriousness. Galvin Hunt, who was then the coach of the team, came to Nigeria and said I must come with him. So I came to South Africa and signed and after few months, I got my work permit.” This was in 2001.

Since then, Etafia has remained faithful to the club, suggesting that he is contented with life at Swallows and is not keen to seek his soccer fortunes elsewhere. Not so, says the player. “I hope to be in Europe someday. However, one has to be careful. You can’t go to Europe just because you feel Europe is better. There are some players in Europe today who are not having the best of times, so one has to be cautious. Anyway, goalkeepers are not often in demand like the strikers, midfielders or defenders. So, it’s about getting it right.” Even then, the player says that South Africa compares to Europe in terms of facilities and infrastructure. For now, however, he is focused on his team and hopes to win the league crown with the club at the end of the season. Currently, he is the first choice goalkeeper of the team, a position he has maintained in the last seven years. But, it’s not been easy. “You know, there are bound to be obstacles. It’s not easy to come to another man’s country and excel. There are bound to be challenges, but one has got to be strong. After all, nothing comes easy in life.” 

In between those seven years spent in South Africa, Etafia has been on and off the Super Eagles team, and was part of the team that played against South Africa in Port Elizabeth on September 6 2008, although he did not see action as he was on the bench.

Being a member of the Super Eagles could give any player a swollen head, but Etafia says it doesn’t get to his head, although he is grateful for the opportunity to be a member of the senior team. “Nigeria is a great country with a lot of talents. For one to be chosen for the national team, it shows that one is blessed. It shows that God has chosen one out of   millions, considering our population. But that does not get to my head and does not count in what I do here. I just do my work.”

He also thinks that success in life should not make one to lose one’s sense of humility, or be disrespectful. “We should not forget to show respect in our dealings with people, no matter our positions. The people you meet on your way up, you are likely to meet them on your way down. One has to be humble and prayerful. If you are not humble, you won’t go far because you would think that you have arrived and that’s when your failure starts. For me as a player, it is too early to take stock of anything, for I still have a long way to go.”

Recalling his years in the game, the 26 year old acknowledges that apart from the fame and publicity that go with the game, “football has done a lot for me; it has taken me to places I never dreamt of going.”

Although he was born in Kaduna, Etafia is actually a native of Osomegbe, in Etsako local government area of Edo state. The player says that, following the fears that gripped some parts of the country after the June 12 1993 presidential election was annulled, he had to relocate to his hometown. Thereafter, he enrolled at Our Lady of Fatima College, Auchi to continue with his education.

He is married to his childhood friend, a woman he fondly describes as “a very beautiful lady, who has been my backbone, great supporter and a blessing to me.” They have two children, Kevin and Kelly.

Julio Leal, the Brazilian coach of Maroka Swallows, has been with the club for just six months. But he is quite impressed by the qualities of his Nigerian goalkeeper. Says he: “Greg is a talented goalkeeper, a hard worker and a very committed and natural leader. I have been here for six months but in these six months, he has earned my respect. I know he’s a national team player and he deserves it. He’s young and can only get better with time.”